OHIO:
• A former lobbyist for a FirstEnergy subsidiary describes watching a colleague slide an envelope containing a $400,000 check under the hand of then-Rep. Larry Householder as they discussed power plant bailout legislation. (Capital Journal)
• A former Householder aide tells jurors she was told to delete evidence of her work defending the bailout law against a repeal campaign. (Cleveland.com) 

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Ford officials say Inflation Reduction Act incentives were a deciding factor in the company’s selection of a Michigan site for a planned $3.5 billion battery factory that will employ at least 2,500 people. (Detroit News, Associated Press)

CARBON:
• In a blue state with big geological potential for carbon sequestration, Illinois lawmakers debate competing legislation that would either enable or slow down the development of carbon capture projects. (E&E News)
• Iowa’s ethanol industry could face a “catastrophic” hit over the next decade if it is not able to access three proposed carbon-capture pipelines, according to an industry-funded report. (Des Moines Register)

COAL:
• Iowa regulators propose tighter pollution controls on two MidAmerican coal-fired power plants that contribute to haze in neighboring states. (Gazette)
• A citizen group concerned about pollution from an Omaha coal plant say they have an open dialogue with the utility focused on practical solutions. (KPVI-TV) 

OVERSIGHT: A Kansas manufacturer asks state lawmakers to enact major reforms to the state’s public utility commission, which it says is too beholden to utility interests at ratepayers’ expense. (Kansas Reflector)

WIND: Scientists will begin tagging eagles in northwestern Missouri as part of a study to determine how the birds interact with wind turbines. (News-Leader)

GRID: Recent reports from regional and national grid organizations raise concerns about reliability as polluting power plants retire and are replaced by clean but intermittent renewable generation. (Indianapolis Star)

OIL & GAS: A University of Chicago study finds states with more transparency requirements around fracking activity have higher water quality. (The Hill)

BIOFUELS: Midwest lawmakers call on President Biden to allow year-round sales of higher ethanol fuel blends, which contribute to smog in warmer weather. (Gazette)

COMMENTARY: A Minnesota Democrat says carbon capture is a safe, effective, and bipartisan solution that should be part of the state’s emission strategy. (MinnPost)

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Dan has two decades' experience working in print, digital and broadcast media. Prior to joining the Energy News Network as managing editor in December 2017, he oversaw watchdog reporting at the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, part of the USA Today Network, and before that spent several years as a freelance journalist covering energy, business and technology. Dan is a former Midwest Energy News journalism fellow and a member of Investigative Reporters and Editors. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and mass communications from University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.